Digital Finance Day 2025 – Trust as the key currency
This year's Digital Finance Day 2025 once again offered participants an opportunity to discuss the opportunities and risks of digital transformation in the banking industry. Together with its partners, the Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) once again brought together various experts from banks, fintechs, technology companies, academia and public authorities. Below is a first glimpse.
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Location? Kraftwerk Zurich.
The event? Completely sold out.
Anyone who arrived late had to join the waiting list – such was the level of interest in Digital Finance Day 2025. More than 150 participants were inspired by keynote speeches on the main stage and a wide range of breakout sessions. This was followed by passionate discussions: How will artificial intelligence, stablecoins and other developments in payment transactions, open finance and fraud prevention move from buzzwords to reality? The afternoon provided the perfect platform for this.
The stage is set for innovation & trust
The event was primarily aimed at bank employees who are dealing with the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation. After a networking lunch, Dr Ruth Wandhöfer, international expert in financial technology and regulation, opened the conference with her keynote speech ‘Technology, Trust & Turbulence’. She highlighted how closely innovation and trust are linked in the financial sector and why reliability becomes a decisive success factor, especially in times of geopolitical uncertainty.
From sovereign AI to stablecoins
The subsequent breakout sessions focused on a wide range of digital finance topics. Among other things, participants discussed whether Switzerland can take on a leading role in the field of sovereign AI, the opportunities and risks associated with stablecoins, and how AI-supported customer advice enables new forms of interaction.
Topics such as data and cloud governance and the balancing act between innovation and compliance also sparked lively discussions. The second round of sessions focused on the integration of AI in banking, developments in the global payment system, fraud prevention in the digital age and opportunities for further developing the digital customer interface.
Conclusion with perspective
In the concluding fireside chat with Julian Biegmann and Andreas Kubli, moderated by Christian Lundsgaard-Hansen, participants reflected on how technological developments are changing the customer experience and what challenges this poses for the industry. The dialogue continued during the networking session that followed, accompanied by many new ideas and contacts that will have an impact far beyond the event itself.
What will remain of this year's event? For August Benz, Head of International & Transformation and Deputy CEO of the SBA, one thing is clear: ‘Platforms such as Digital Finance Day are essential for driving innovation and resilience forward together. Those who actively participate not only shape the rules, but also the future of Switzerland as a financial centre.’
Richard Hess, Head of Digital Finance at the SBA, who planned and implemented the event with his team, says of the format's success: ‘Interdisciplinary professional exchange is key. Bringing together different perspectives on technological possibilities, regulatory requirements and strategic foresight creates the right framework for identifying and addressing the right questions.’
The digitalisation of the banking industry is a key strategic issue for the SBA. Initiatives such as Digital Finance Day create opportunities for knowledge transfer, innovation and a common understanding of industry-specific challenges. Together with its partners, the SBA is thus strengthening the innovative power and future viability of Switzerland as a financial center.
